asterisk users - Sep 2003 - initial review of Grandstream HT-286 ATA device

Hi List,

Just received a HT-286  Analog Telephone Adapter.

This device is allows the user to take a standard
analog telephone set and connect it to a VoIP/SIP
based gateway.  A low cost way of having PSTN 
devices make use of VoIP/SIP services.  

For example you could take a credit card processing
machine and punch it into a location where you have
broad band access.

You could take a FAX machine and put it someplace
and the number is somewhere else.  

I've tested FAX via the HT-286 and the 3 pages I sent
seemed to come thru just fine.  That path was
PSTN -> ASTERISK -> HT-286 -> Standard Analog FAX machine



Specs:

Color of case:	Black
Size:		About the size of a pack of smokes
Interfaces:
		1 Ethernet 10baseT
		1 FXS Analog interface
		1 DC jack for power

		1 Button for selecting the voice
                  prompted config menu

		1 multi colored LED for states


The UNIT is configurable via a HTTP interface, ala
the GS-101 and 102 models.  

You can also configure the unit via a set of voice
prompts.  It can be a bit of a challenge, but if
you are slow and smooth it works.


The LED states

Off		Doing nothing
RED Solid	Off Hook, doing FXS to VOIP
GREEN Solid	Voice Prompt Menu
RED Blink	Voice Mail Alert

The Ethernet jack has Link and Traffic LED's like 
most devices today.

In general its simple, easy to config and seems to 
just work.  I'm going to stress test it this weekend
and see how well it holds up.


Time out of the box to a functioning device was less
than 10 minutes.


John Brown
Products avail at:
http://www.chagres.net/products/voip/

The PDF on the website says that this thing
supports a downloadable ring-tone. This
makes me somewhat suspicious - does
this thing generate ringing voltages
and actually ring the attached analog
phone?